Secret Diaries (Heartlake Cliche #1)

Chapter Four

 August 13, 2002

Aunt Miranda said Cupid isn’t really good at shooting arrows. He keeps on missing Auntie’s heart.  Why would Auntie want Cupid to shoot her?

 

     It wasn’t everyday that a person got to experience something catastrophic. Grace, however, seemed fated to meet such instances on a daily basis this week. Who would’ve thought that she’d be hitting Nick with her bag the first time he ever noticed her? His face still registered the shock, anger, annoyance and a bit of amusement (probably because of the way she was looking at him) from the events of the last few minutes. He asked me a question, she thought as she went on to gawk at him. What was his question?

      He merely sneered at her. “Never mind,” he said dismissively, and then turned towards Rachelle. “You usually know, or shall I say sense, it when I’m around.” Rachelle winced at his almost accusatory tone. “Were you really surprised,” he raised one dark blond eyebrow, “or were you hoping you could try your newly-learned self-defense techniques on me?”

      “Are you being sarcastic,” Rachelle replied with a raised eyebrow of her own, “or are you really expecting an answer?”

      “Don’t be lame,” Nick said with disdain.

      “Whatever. Next time, don’t sneak up on me.” Rachelle crossed her arms but a smile played across her beautiful lips. “You almost gave me a heart attack.”

      Nick rolled his eyes. “I never sneak on anybody.” He considered what he said and then he amended. “Unless it’s a fight I intend to win.”

      “Tsk. Don’t you have anything else to think about except the tournament?” Rachelle asked with a frown.

      He shrugged. “None at the moment. Except perhaps giving you this,” he took out a set of keys from the pocket of his judo gi pants.

      Rachelle took the keys with her right hand and smacked her head with her other. “Oh gosh, thanks!” she exclaimed. “I can’t believe I forgot to get my house keys from you.”

      “You should have placed it inside your locker.” Nick said a bit condescendingly, indicating the password-protected lockers provided by the school for their special students. And by special, they meant celebrities, jocks, geniuses, and all other students who brought home awards and recognition for the school on a regular basis.

      “I would’ve forgotten it either way,” she shrugged playfully. “Hehe. I do that all the time.”

      Nick gave her a pointed look. “And that’s stupid of you.”

      “I know that,” she replied, looped her arm around Nick’s then grinned. “But you like me, anyway.”

      He finally smiled then tilted his head towards Grace. “And you’re together because?”

      Rachelle followed the direction he pointed with his head and gasped. “Oh my god, Grace! I’m so sorry! I forgot you were there,” Rachelle unlocked herself from Nick and went to Grace’s side. “Why am I so forgetful these days? Anyway, Nick, this is Grace,” she smiled at her new friend.  “She returned my journal this afternoon. That’s great, isn’t it? Oh! And she’s also from SJC,” she told him enthusiastically.

      “So you know Mike?” Nick asked Grace.

      Grace had quietly watched these heavenly creatures with awe. She hardly got to be in the company of one and now she got to talk with two.